No Prima Donnas, Please: Make-Or-Break Traits To Getting Hired

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Hiring managers want to see demonstrable time management skills. You want to be able to highlight experiences in which you've managed a project or, as is usually the case, multiple projects and were able to deliver on time. "For field-based [positions] and engineers today, they need to be self-motivated and self-managed, being able to self-manage, being organized, being a self-starter. They need to know when to say, 'OK, this is above my head,' and when to pull someone in," Bier said. "You have to be able to collaborate well, but you also have to be a self-starter, be able to pace yourself appropriately. You don't want someone who's a complete maverick," he said. But, employers also don't want someone who needs to be told "exactly what to do and when to do it. You need to have a good relationship between those halves," Bier said.